The airline originated as Aer Arann, providing services from Galway to the Aran Islands in 1970, and in the 1990s grew into a regional airline, with Aer Arann Regional based in Dublin.[3] A major refinancing in 2014 was associated with a name change to Stobart Air.[4]
Stobart Air was closed and began liquidation in June 2021.[5]
Aer Arann was established in 1970 by James Coen and Ralph Langan to provide an island-hopping air service between Galway and the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. Operations, using a single Britten-Norman Islander, began in August 1970. This service has since been moved to the less distant Connemara Airport and operates as "Aer Arann Islands". As of 2023 it still used Islander aircraft.
The turning point for the airline was in 1994 when Pádraig Ó Céidigh and Eugene O'Kelly purchased the airline. Ó Céidigh and O'Kelly began to expand the airline's routes and fleet, launching scheduled services in 1998. Also in 1998, the Irish government awarded the airline the Public service obligation (PSO) route between Donegal Airport and Dublin Airport followed by the PSO route between Sligo Airport and Dublin.
In 2002, service to the United Kingdom and Jersey was introduced, followed by service to Lorient and Nantes in Brittany in 2004.
In 2007, Aer Arann had a turnover of €100 million and passenger numbers in excess of 1.15 million.
In 2008, in recognition of the company's marketing achievements, the Head of Sales and Marketing, Colin Lewis was awarded the All Ireland Marketing Leader of the Year Award by the Marketing Institute of Ireland.[6]
In 2008, Aer Arann entered into a franchise agreement with Nex Aviation and introduced service to Amsterdam, Bordeaux, Málaga and Faro, using British Aerospace 146 aircraft during the summer months. The Amsterdam service, which was operated by an ATR 72-500, ended on 14 January 2009.
In October 2008, the airline announced that it would be implementing a cost-saving programme, due to the downturn in passenger traffic, which would involve some focus on charter flights and leasing of aircraft and their crews to other airlines.[7] The airline stated that up to 100 redundancies would be needed, but this was later revised to 70 which would represent a 20% reduction of staff.[7] The airline's key routes were to remain unchanged.
In January 2010, Aer Arann and Aer Lingus founded Aer Lingus Regional which effectively removed Aer Arann's hubs at Cork and Dublin under the new airline.
In July 2010, Aer Arann confirmed it would end flights between Cork-Belfast and Cork-Dublin from 31 August 2010. The company's press release stated, "we sincerely regret having to suspend these services and the inconvenience that it will cause our loyal customers on both routes. Unfortunately however we have an aircraft leaving the fleet and this has an obvious but regrettable impact on our schedule. Aer Arann had operated flights on the Cork to Dublin route since 2001 and began service from Cork to Belfast in March 2004 after the demise of the airline JetMagic. Aer Arann now no longer operates from Cork Airport in its own entity but continues to expand its presence at Cork under the Aer Lingus Regional brand.
On 26 August 2010 an examiner was appointed to Aer Arann. A full hearing of the company's application took place on 8 September and Aer Arann was in interim examinership under the protection of the Court. All Aer Arann flights continued to operate normally. It was understood by the high court in Dublin that Aer Arann would return to profitability in 2011.[7][8]
In October 2010, British logistics company Stobart Group was named as the preferred buyer for the airline, also announcing that the airline would serve London Southend Airport from March 2011 to destinations in Ireland and possibly France and open a base there.[9][10]
On 10 November 2010, the deal was completed. Aer Arann is now owned by Everdeal Limited, which at the time became 67.5% owned by Pádraig Ó Céidigh, Aer Arann's Chairman; 27.5% owned by Tim Kilroe, a UK-based businessman; and 5% owned by the Stobart Group, through 35 preference shares of €1 each acquired on 10 November 2010. Stobart Group entered into an option to increase its shareholding by a further 27.5% to 32.5%.[11][12]
On 7 April 2011, Aer Arann confirmed it would end its PSO (Public Service Obligation) routes after the Irish Government withdrew funding for the routes, which included Dublin to Galway, Knock and Sligo.[13]
In October 2011, Aer Arann announced it would suspend all services from Galway Airport, axed routes included Galway to Edinburgh, London-Luton, London-Southend, Manchester and Lorient. The company said the routes were "financially no longer viable". Galway Airport then confirmed it would have to make redundant 40 staff due to losing the airport's only operator.[14]
On 8 February 2012, Aer Arann's Chief Executive Paul Schutz resigned, and was replaced by Sean Brogan, the head of Stobart Ireland. This gave Stobart Group management control of the airline, and prompted speculation that it would exercise its option to increase its 5% stake in Everdeal Limited by a further 27.5% to 32.5%.[15]
On 2 March 2012, it was confirmed that Aer Arann was in final discussions to transfer all of its own operated flights to the Aer Lingus Regional brand. This would mean Aer Arann would operate on behalf of Aer Lingus Regional with the airline no longer operating routes as its own entity.[16]
On 14 March 2012, Aer Arann confirmed it would no longer exist in its own entity from 10 April 2012. All its services transferred to Aer Lingus Regional on 25 March, streamlining services to a single brand,[7] with the one remaining route operated on an RE flight number, London City to Isle of Man, ceasing on 10 April.
On 6 November 2012, Aer Arann announced it was pulling out of Waterford, as its services had not performed to a "sustainable level". However, it did not rule out returning to Waterford in the future, "if the business case can be justified".[17]
On 12 December 2012, Stobart Group exercised its option to increase its 5% shareholding in Everdeal Limited by 27.5% to 32.5%, and acquired a further 12.5% of the company, taking its stake to 45%. This diluted Chairman Pádraig Ó Céidigh's shareholding to 47.5% and Tim Kilroe's shareholding to 7.5%.[18]
On 25 January 2013, Aer Arann's Chairman Pádraig Ó Céidigh resigned. Stobart Group was therefore expected to buy his 47.5% shareholding in Everdeal Limited by the beginning of February 2013. This would have enabled it to have a 92.5% controlling stake in the airline.[19]
On 30 April 2013, Aer Arann's ownership was restructured, under the ownership of Everdeal Holdings Limited, which is in turn 45% owned by the Stobart Group; 42% owned by Invesco; 8% owned by Cenkos Securities; and 5% owned by Pádraig Ó Céidigh, Aer Arann's former Chairman. Stobart Group had an option to acquire complete control of the airline, by increasing its shareholding by a further 55% to 100%.[20]
Stobart Air
Stobart Air (formerly Aer Arann) headquarters in DublinA former Stobart Air ATR 72-200
On 19 March 2014, Aer Arann announced that it would be changing its corporate name to Stobart Air by the end of 2014.[4] Stobart Air was owned by Everdeal Holdings Limited, which was 81% owned by the Stobart Group, 10% by Cenkos Securities, and 10% by Pádraig Ó Céidigh, Aer Arann's former Chairman. Stobart Group had an option to acquire complete control of the airline, by increasing its shareholding to 100%.[11][20][12][18][21][22]
Stobart Air announced on 25 March 2014, it was diversifying away from operating exclusively for Aer Lingus by enacting a five-year agreement with Flybe to operate six routes in Northern Europe and Benelux from 5 June 2014.[23][24] It was further announced in November 2014 that Stobart Air was also to operate two routes from Cardiff to Edinburgh and Paris-Orly, on behalf of CityJet, from 1 December 2014.[25]
On 24 February 2017, Stobart Group completed 100% acquisition of Stobart Air, after purchasing the remaining 19% of Everdeal Holdings. Stobart Group also completed 100% ownership of Propius Holdings Ltd, the aircraft leasing firm through which many of the Stobart Air aircraft are sourced.[26]
As of April 2018, Stobart Air wet leased two E195s from Flybe. From the second half of 2018, Stobart Air's leasing firm Propius acquired three E195s from leasing firm GOAL. These aircraft were leased to Flybe until the end of 2018.[27]
On 11 January 2019, Stobart Aviation and Virgin Atlantic formed the Connect Airways consortium to make a takeover bid for Flybe.[28] The consortium was also to take over Stobart Air, with the aim of creating an integrated carrier operating under a Virgin brand.[29] Stobart Air's wet lease operations for other airlines would continue unchanged.[30] On 15 January 2019, Connect Airways announced an increased offer, which Flybe's board accepted.[31] The deal was completed on 21 February 2019, despite a last-minute rival bid.[32]
On 5 February 2019, it was announced that Stobart Air would wetlease one of its E195s to KLM Cityhopper to operate four flights daily between Amsterdam and Geneva and four between Amsterdam and Dublin. The flights were executed between 25 February and 30 March.[citation needed]
On 5 March 2020, Flybe entered administration due to ongoing difficulties compounded by the coronavirus pandemic; all Flybe flights operated by Flybe itself and by Stobart Air ceased.[33] On 18 March 2020, Connect Airways in turn entered administration.[34] On 23 March 2020, Stobart Air which operated under the Aer Lingus Regional brand announced it would suspend all international flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However its public service obligation (PSO) flights from Dublin Airport to Donegal Airport and Kerry Airport would continue.[35] Stobart Air itself did not go into administration, and in mid-April Stobart Group announced that it was "reviewing all options" with the administrators, including the possibility of buying back Stobart Air and its sister company Propius Leasing, believing that the two companies have a viable future after the pandemic.[36]
On 27 April 2020, Stobart Group bought back Stobart Air and Propius Leasing from the Connect Airways bankruptcy administrators. Stobart Group initially paid €344,000 to Connect Airways administrators EY, the deal is set to be worth over €9.45m. Stobart Air was also in talks with Aer Lingus to extend its franchise agreement beyond 2022.[37]
Following a competitive tender process, in November 2020 it was announced that Stobart Air had not been successful in retaining the Aer Lingus Regional franchise. A new operator was to take over from January 2023, will take over with Emerald Airlines as the preferred option.[38]
In April 2021, Isle of Man-based company Ettyl reached an agreement to buy Stobart Air.[39] At the end of May, it emerged that Ettyl's intended financing had not materialised, postponing completion of the deal.[40]
On 11 June 2021, Stobart Air informed Aer Lingus it was terminating its franchise agreement as the company was to be placed into liquidation, resulting in the cancellation of all Aer Lingus Regional flights.[41]
Destinations
Aer Lingus
Destinations flown by Aer Arann before 2012 then onwards operating for Aer Lingus Regional.[42][43]
Eligible Aer Lingus Regional flights earn Avios points for Aer Lingus which are available to spend on upgrades and discounted flights, points can also be earned with other airlines and outlets.
In-flight services
Stobart Air operates the respective buy on board programmes of its franchise customers on their associated services, with slight adjustments owing to aircraft equipment.
Aer Club
After the transition to Aer Club from Gold Circle Club, flying with Stobart Air on behalf of Aer Lingus Regional will earn you Avios with Aer Club.
Sponsorship deals
Aer Arann was the main shirt sponsor of the Galway Gaelic Football team,[61] and had its logo on the back of the Connacht Rugby team shirts, as well as sponsoring the Munster Rugby team. On 17 December 2010, Aer Arann announced that it would be ending its sponsorship of the Galway Gaelic Football team.[62]
Accidents and incidents
On 4 February 2001, Short 360-100 registration EI-BPD, carrying 25 passengers and 3 crew,[63] was damaged beyond repair following a hard landing at Sheffield City Airport after a scheduled Aer Arann Express passenger flight from Dublin.[64] There were no injuries.
On 17 July 2011, ATR 72-212 registration EI-SLM was damaged beyond economical repair when the nose gear collapsed on landing at Shannon Airport, Ireland. The aircraft was operating an international scheduled passenger flight from Manchester Airport, United Kingdom. There were no injuries amongst the four crew and 21 passengers on board.[65]
Most of the transport system in Ireland is in public hands, either side of the Irish border. The Irish road network has evolved separately in the two jurisdictions into which Ireland is divided, while the Irish rail network was mostly created prior to the partition of Ireland.
Aer Lingus is the flag carrier of Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of International Airlines Group (IAG). The airline's head office is on the grounds of Dublin Airport in Cloghran, County Dublin.
Galway Airport is an airport located at Carnmore, 4 NM east of Galway City, County Galway, Ireland, managed by Corrib Airport Limited. Its last scheduled passenger traffic was on 31 October 2011, when Aer Arann ceased commercial operations at the airport. At 1289 m (4230 ft), the runway is too short to handle most jet airliners and so scheduled services were restricted to turboprop aircraft or small executive jets. At peak, the airport served over 300,000 passengers annually, with 16 destinations.
Flybe, styled as flybe, was a British airline based in Exeter, England. It was sold to Connect Airways in 2019; it was the largest independent regional airline in Europe. Flybe once provided more than half of the UK domestic flights outside of London.
Dublin Airport is an international airport serving Dublin, Ireland. It is operated by DAA. The airport is located in Collinstown, 7 km (4.3 mi) north of Dublin, and 3 km (1.9 mi) south of the town of Swords. In 2019, 32.9 million passengers passed through the airport, making it the airport's busiest year on record. It is the 13th busiest airport in Europe, and is the busiest of Ireland's airports by total passenger traffic; it also has the largest traffic levels on the island of Ireland, followed by Belfast International Airport.
George Best Belfast City Airport is a single-runway airport in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Situated in County Down, it is adjacent to the Belfast Harbour and is 3 miles (4.8 km) from Belfast City Centre. It shares the site with the Spirit AeroSystems aircraft manufacturing facility. The airport began commercial operations in 1983, and was known as "Belfast City Airport" until it was renamed in 2006 in memory of George Best, the professional footballer from Belfast. The airport has a CAA public use aerodrome licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.
London Southend Airport is an international airport situated on the outskirts of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, approximately 36 miles (58 km) from the centre of London. The airport straddles the boundaries between the city of Southend-on-Sea and the Rochford District.
Loganair is a Scottish regional airline headquartered at Glasgow Airport in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The airline primarily operates domestic flights within the United Kingdom. It is the largest regional airline in Scotland by passenger numbers and fleet size.
CityJet is an Irish regional airline with headquarters at Dublin Airport. It was founded in 1992 and has gone through a series of corporate structures. The airline was sold to Air France in 2000 and then by Air France to Intro Aviation in May 2014; in March 2016 the airline was bought by founder Pat Byrne and other investors. CityJet ended its own-brand scheduled services in 2018 and is now a major provider of wet leasing to European airlines. As of Summer 2023, CityJet operates wet lease services on behalf of Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and Scandinavian Airlines.
Kerry Airport, often called Farranfore Airport, is an international airport in Farranfore, County Kerry, Ireland. It is 7 nautical miles north off the Ring of Kerry and 8 nautical miles southeast of the county town, Tralee. Passenger services are operated by Ryanair and more recently French airline Chalair. In 2022, Kerry Airport handled 355,043 passengers; a decrease of 4% since 2019.
Donegal Airport is a regional airport in Ireland, serving County Donegal and the north-west. It is located on the coast, 2 NM south-west of Bunbeg in Carrickfinn, a townland in The Rosses, a district in north-west County Donegal. It is about a 15-minute drive from Dungloe and Gweedore and 45 minutes from Letterkenny. It was generally known until the 1990s, and is still popularly known within County Donegal, as Carrickfinn Airport, from which its airport code (CFN) is derived.
Waterford Airport is located in Killowen, 4 NM southeast of Waterford. It serves southeastern Ireland. The airport is operated by Waterford Regional Airport plc.
Esken Limited, formerly Stobart Group Limited, is a British infrastructure, aviation and energy company, with operations in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company is registered in Guernsey but has its operational head office in London, England.
JetMagic was an Irish airline that operated between 2003 and 2004. It offered high-service flights aimed at business travelers, but at only a slight premium above the economy class rates. The average fares started at €75 and grew up to €250 based on demand. JetMagic sold itself on high quality and extra touches, like offering a free newspaper to all passengers, free catering, ice cream, etc.
Aer Lingus Regional is an Aer Lingus brand which is used for commuter and regional flights. Aer Lingus Regional scheduled passenger services operate primarily from Ireland to the United Kingdom, France, and the Channel Islands, along with services from Belfast, Northern Ireland to the places mentioned. Services were operated by Aer Arann and then its successor Stobart Air until the latter's closure in June 2021. The contract for the franchise was then awarded to Emerald Airlines and services resumed on February 26, 2022.
Aer Arann Islands is an Irish airline headquartered in Inverin, County Galway. They operate a three-strong fleet of Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft to connect the Aran Islands with mainland County Galway.
Virgin Atlantic Little Red was a short-lived British domestic airline subsidiary owned by Virgin Atlantic.
Connect Airways was a consortium formed in December 2018 to acquire the British regional airline Flybe, which had put itself up for sale in November 2018 after issuing a profit warning the previous month, The consortium comprised Virgin Atlantic and the Irish wet-lease specialist airline Stobart Air.
Emerald Airlines is an Irish regional airline headquartered in Dublin, on the grounds of Dublin Airport. In August 2021, the airline became the operator of the Aer Lingus Regional franchise, before operations launched on 26 February 2022.
References
↑ "About". Stobart Air. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
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